Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Barysaw Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Barysaw

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $775 in Barysaw.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,242 in Barysaw.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $1,709 in Barysaw.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 22% more expensive than in Barysaw, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Barysaw 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$6.41 BYN 19.74

-67.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$29.72 BYN 91.6

-33.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.23 BYN 13.03

33.57%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.49 BYN 4.59

21.48%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.57 BYN 1.76

24.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.32 BYN 0.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.13 BYN 3.47

98.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.47 BYN 7.59

46.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.73 BYN 2.25

168.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.58 BYN 1.77

158.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.13 BYN 3.48

18.58%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.40 BYN 4.31

61.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$6.53 BYN 20.13

149.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.01 BYN 12.35

-26.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$6.30 BYN 19.40

57.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.19 BYN 3.67

115.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.74 BYN 5.36

-39.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.82 BYN 5.59

-11.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.67 BYN 5.15

-8.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.39 BYN 1.19

225.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.64 BYN 1.96

67.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.93 BYN 2.87

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.50 BYN 1.53

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$1.98 BYN 6.09

111.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$7.71 BYN 23.75

131.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.50 BYN 4.62

12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.11 BYN 6.50

34.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$0.35 BYN 1.06

165.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$14.11 BYN 43.46

281.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$0.71 BYN 2.19

73.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.52 BYN 1.61

11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$9.86 BYN 30.35

-75.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$0.83 BYN 2.54

69.88%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$19.9K BYN 61.2K

8.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$19.9K BYN 61.3K

37.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$63.7 ฿2,093

$71.0 BYN 219

-10.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.85 ฿423

$7.33 BYN 22.58

75.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$11.61 BYN 35.76

74.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$32.54 BYN 100

19.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$3.24 BYN 9.99

108.02%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$778 ฿25.6K

$331 BYN 1,019

135.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$9,630 BYN 29.7K

51.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$45.44 BYN 140

19.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$46.26 BYN 142

-44.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$89.1 BYN 275

5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$104 BYN 320

-29.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$396 BYN 1,220

23.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$250 BYN 770

15.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$586 BYN 1,805

52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$482 BYN 1,484

7.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,106 BYN 3,406

76.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$890 BYN 2,740

65.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$624 BYN 1,923

-3.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-60.21%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barysaw: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $396 in Barysaw. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barysaw pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $30.00 in Barysaw. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $153, with Barysaw cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Barysaw: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barysaw is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Barysaw. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $396 in Barysaw. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Chiang Mai versus $775 in Barysaw – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barysaw runs roughly 282% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $775 in Barysaw versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Barysaw but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Barysaw the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Barysaw is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Barysaw are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Barysaw gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.